Automatic piano-player.



No. 756,674. PATENTED APR. 5, 1904.

H. MEYER. I AUTOMATIC HAN-.0 PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED; MAY 29, 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

INVENTOH fzrmarzn jfg/er ATTORNEYS.

I WITNESSES 'No. 756,674. PATBNTED- APR. 5, 1904. H. MEYER.

AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 29, 1903.

no mommy 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Z 1 I j'jl Z I? I" I ll WITNESSES! l/VVENTUR By ATTUR THE NORRIS FETERSc0 PHOTO-UTHD., wsumomn. n. c.

No. 7563674. PATENTED APR. 5, 1904.

' H. MEYER.

AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1-903. no MODEL. a SHEETSSHEET s.

WITNESSES, /NVENTOH flermamzfiyer w BY " A TTOHNE rs.

m: NURRlS PETERS c0, wuoraumm, WASH\NC1TON. a. c.

No. 756,674. PATENTED APR. 5, 1904.

- H; MEYER. AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1903. N0 MODEL. 1 5 BHEETS-'BHEET 4.

11 2 6/ Z E 7 /v E f 6 2' K 5, I V Q W/ TN E SSE S No. 756,674. PATENTEDAPR.5,19Q4.

H. MEYER. AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1903. H0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEETS- WITNESSES:INVENTOH 61772517221 Jfqyer (am/J40 B,

. UNTTED STATES i Patented April 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN MEYER, OF NEW YORK, 'N. Y.

AUTOMATIC PIANO-PLAYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,674, dated April 5,1904.

Application filed May 29, 1903. Serial No. 159,294. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN MEYER, a citizen of the United States, andaresident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the countyand State of New York, have invented va new and Improved AutomaticPiano- Player, of which the'following is a full, clear, and exactdescription. I

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved automaticplayer for a piano, organ, or like key-actuated'musical instrumentarranged to permit convenient varying of the speed of the note-sheettraveling over the tracker-board, to actuate the keystrikers with moreor less force, to keep the note sheet in proper alinementwith thetracker-board, and to quickly reroll the notesheet.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims. 7 A practical embodiment of the invention isrepresented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvement, some of the frontcasing-panels being removed toshow the pneumatics and the motor-bellowsand adjacent parts. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of theimprovement on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8

is a similar view of the same on the line 3 3 I of Fig. 1. Fig. & is anenlarged transverse section of one of the pneumatics. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal sectional elevati onof the lower tier of pneumatics,themain suction-chamber, and the suction-bellows. Fig. 6 is an enlargedsectional side elevation of the valve mechanism for regulating the speedof the pneumaticmotor. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the C, (seeFigs. 2 and 3,) guided the its upper portion in a casing-bearing B andconnected at its lower end with the movable member of a pneumatic D, andthe several pneumatics D of the instrument are preferably arranged intiers, and the pneumatics in each tier are secured by their fixedmembers to the under side of avalve-chest E, having a suction-chamber Eextending from one end of the chest to the other, and eachsuction-chamber E is closed at one end and opens at the other end into aduct F, arranged. on the side of the casing B and adapted to beconnected by a valve G with the main suction-chamber H of asuction-bellows H, actuated by the operator ed by nuts E with the middleportion of a diaphragm E separating the chamber E from an inlet-chamberE connected by a flexible tube J with a corresponding opening in atracker-board K, arranged in the front upper portion of the casing B, asplainly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Over the tracker-board K passes a note-sheet L, unwinding from a roll Land winding up on a roll L during the execution of the 7 music. Now whenan opening in the note-sheet L registers with a tracker-board opening,then atmospheric air passes through the said registering openings intothe corresponding tube J and chamber E to press the diaphragm Erearwardly into the chamber E, and as the" diaphragm E is connected withthe stem E it is evident that the latter is shifted, and in do-- ing soit moves the valve E off its seat E to connect the chambers E and E witheach other to exhaust the air from the pneumatic D and cause the same tocollapse. The pneumatic in doing so moves the rod 0 upward, and thelatter thus imparts a swinging motion to the corresponding key-striker Ato press the corresponding key of the piano or organ, and thereby soundthe same.

On the stem E is secured a second valve E, somewhat larger than thevalve E and controlling a port E, leading to the atmosphere. The valve Eis in an open position at the time the valve E is seated, and henceatmospheric air can pass by way of the port E, chamber E, and port E tothe pneumatic D to inflate the same, and thereby move the red C downwardto allow the key-striker A and the piano or organ key to swing back totheir normal inactive position.

Each inlet-chamber E' (see Fig. 4:) is connected by a port E with apin-hole or leakopening E, opening into a chamber E, having a channel Ereturning to the suctioncham ber E (see Fig. 3 and dotted lines, Fig. 4)to allow the air previously passed into the chamber E by the tube J toescape from the chamber E as soon as the tracker-board hole is againcovered up. Now when this takes place the pressure is equalized on bothsides of the diaphragm E, and the valves E and E now return to theirprevious normal position (shown in Fig. 4) owing to the atmosphericpressure against the valve E to move the latter off its seat E and thevalve E to its seat E Now when this takes place atmospheric airimmediately passes by way of the port E, chamber E, and port E" into thecorresponding pneumatic D to inflate the same and to move the pneumaticinto position for immediate action as soon as the tracker-board openingis again uncovered by a registering opening in the note-sheet, aspreviously explained.

The valve-stem E extends through the port E to the outside of the chestE to be under the control of the operator to allow the latter to turnthe stem E, so that the latter screws in the nuts E and moves thediaphragm E into proper position relative to the valves and. E to insureproper action of the valve mechanism, as above described. Thisadjustment renders the valve mechanism exceedingly sensitive, so thatcomparatively little airpressure is needed in the chamber E to actuatethe diaphragm E The adjustment is also especially serviceable in casethe leather or other material from which the diaphragm E is made is moreor less stiff and does not flex correspondingly under a given pressure.

By having the valve-stem E adj ust-ably secured in the diaphragm-nuts Eand the valves and E both fastened on the valve-stem it is evident thatthe slightest movement of the diaphragm E causes a correspondingmovementthat is, alternate seating and unseating-of the said valves Eand E. Furthermore, by arranging the valve-stem E horizontally verylittle power is required to produce the desired shifting of the parts. g

It is understood that two nuts E are preferably employed and secured tothe diaphragm opening into the suction-chamber 11.

on opposite sides, and by having the handle end of the stem E extend tothe outside of the chest it can be readily reached by the operator toadjust the diaphragm relative to the valves at the time the attachmentor selfplayeris in position on the piano or organ, and hence thecorresponding pneumatic and its key-striker are regulated to a nicety tocause the key-striker to properly act on its piano or organ key. It isunderstood that the back of the casing is temporarily removed to givethe operator convenient access to the stems E for adjusting thediaphragms relative to the valves to bring the key-strikers into theproper position relative to the piano or organ keys, as above described.As shown in the drawings, the pivotal ends of the trans verse pneumaticsD are at the rear end of the casing in that portion which extends underthe keyboard frame of the piano or organ, and hence theinstrument-casing can be made very narrow to take up as little room aspossible. Furthermore, byhaving the pneumatics D arranged as describedtheir movable members are connected by the forwardly-inclined rods orlinks C with the key-strikers A to actuate the latter without lostmotion and with as little force as possible, so that the operator canreadily actuate the attachment or self-player without undue physicalexertion on the pedals. Furthermore, the arrangement of the pneumatics Dand the wind-chests E permits of bringing the tracker-board .K and therolls L and L in a low position to permit convenient access to the rollsfor inserting or removing the note-sheets, and the length of the tubes Jis reduced to a minimum, so that the slightest amount of air passing byway of i the tracker-board openings into the tubes and the wind-chests Ereadily actuates the extremely sensitive diaphragm E and theuninutely-adjusted valves E E.

In order to more or less powerfully actuate the pneumatics D, andconsequently the keystrikers A and the keys oi the piano or organ, thevalve G is shifted to exhaust more or less air from the suction-chambersE by the action of the bellows H. For the purpose mentioned the valve Gis mounted to slide transversely in a valve-casing Gr, provided in oneside with a slot G, gradually increasing from the rear toward the front(see Fig. 2) and opening into the duct F. In the bottom of the easing Gis arranged an opening G, (see Fig. 5,) The valve G is normally held ina real-most closed position by a spring G to disconnect the slots G G".On the front end of the valve is secured a rod or stem Gr", connectedwith one end of a cord or rope Gr, passing over a guidepulley G (seeFigs. 1 and 2) and connecting at its other end with a regulating-leverG", fulcrumed on the casing B and having its upper or handle end withinconvenient reach of the operator seated in front of the instru- 'rnent.Now by the operator moving the upper or handle end of theregulating-lever G from the left to the right a pull is exerted on thecord or rope G and the rod G to slide the valve Gr forward against thetension of its spring G3. The valve in its forward movement uncovers theopenings G G so that air communication is established between the duct Fand the main suction-chamber H for exhausting more or less air from thechambers E, according to the distance the valve G is moved forward bythe operator moving the handle end of the lever G a greater or lessdistance from the left to the right. By the operator releasing thepressure on the handle end of the lever G the spring Gr forces the valveG to slide rearward and the handle end of the lever G to swing back fromthe right to the left. Thus by the operator simply moving theregulating-lever G the pneumatics D are more or less powerfullyactuated, and consequently a corresponding movement is given to the keysof the musical instrument to execute the music piano or forte as calledfor by the music-piece.

In order to move the note-sheet over the tracker-board K at any desiredspeed for executing the music according tothe prescribed tempo of themusic-piece, the following device is provided: On the shaft L of theroller L is secured a gear wheel N (see Figs. 1, 2, and 8) in mesh witha pinion N, fastened on a shaft N carrying a sprocket-wheel N over whichpasses a sprocket-chain N, also passing over a sprocket-wheel N securedon the main shaft of a pneumatic-driving device 0, preferably of theconstruction shown and described in the application for Letters Patentof the United States filed by me March 24:, 1903, Serial No. 149,295, sothat further detailed description of this driving device is not deemednecessary. This pneumatic-driving device 0 is in general constructionpro vided with a plurality of pneumatics 0 connected at their movablemembers by pitmen O with crank-arms 0*, secured on the maindriving-shaft O, so that when the pneumatics O are successivelyexhausted their pitmen O impart a continuous rotary motion to the mainshaftO, and the rotary motion of the latter is then transmitted by thegearing de' scribed to the roller L to wind up the notesheet unwindingat the time from the roller L.

The wind-chest O of the driving device 0 is connected by an exhaustpipeO with a valve mechanism P, connected by a branch channel H with themain suction-chamber H, previously described, and the said valvemechanism P (see Figs. 6 and 7) is provided with a valvecasing P, havinga chamber P into which opens the exhaust-pipe O. The chamber P isconnected by a port P with a chamber 1, containing a slide-valve Pcontrolling'the port P and a port P, leading to the branch channel HNormally the port P is closed by the action of a spring P on theslide-valve P holding the latter in the position shown in Fig.

6, and the front end of the said slide-valve P is connected by avalve-stem P with a controlling-lever P fulcru'med on the casing B andhaving its upper or handle end within convenient reach of the performerto enable the latter to impart a swinging motion to the lever P", tomove the slide-valve P from the right to the left, to connect the portsP and P with each other, and to allow air to exhaust from the wind-chestO to actuate the pneumatics O successively, the exhaust of thepneumatics being controlled by a valve 0 rotating with the shaft 0, asmore fully described in the application mentioned.

Now by the operator swinging the handle end of the lever P from the leftto the right the slide-valve P is more or less opened to allow more orless suction in the driving device O to rotate the shaft 0 faster orslower, and consequently to rotate the gear-wheel N correspondingly, sothat the note-sheet L is drawn over the tracker-board K with more orless speed, according to the tempo required by the music to be executed.

It is understood that when the operator releases the pressure on theupper end of the lever P then the spring P draws the slide valve P fromthe left to the right into a closed position, and. hence reduces thesuction correspondingly to rotate the main shaft 0 slower, v

and with it the roller L From the foregoing it will be seen that by thesimple movement of the regulating-lever P any desired speed can be givento the notesheet passing over the tracker board K.

In order to allow rerolling of the note-sheet on the roller L wheneverit is desired to do so by the performer, the following device isprovided: The sprocket-wheel N (see Fig. 8) is engaged by a shifter Q,held on a shifting rod Q, mounted to slide in suitable bearings in thecasing B, and a spring Q presses the shifter Q to normally hold thesprocket-wheel Nishaft N and pinion N in the position shown in Fig.8that is, the pinion N in mesh with the gear-wheel N. The rod Q, extendsinto the path of a block P on the regulating-lever P, so that when thelatter is moved into an extreme right-hand position then the rod Q, isshifted by the said lever to move the sprocketwheel N and its shaft Nfrom the left to the right to disengage the pinion N from the gearwheelN and to move a pin N on the said shaft N in engagement with a pin R ona sprocketwheel R, mounted to rotate loosely on the shaft N Thissprocket-wheel R is connected by a sprocket-chain R with a sprocketwheel R secured on a shaft R", journaled in the casing B and providedwith a socket and pin- R for engaging the spindle L of the roller L. Nowwhen the shaft N is shifted as described then the rotary motion of theshaft N is transmitted to the sprocket-wheel R by the pins N and R, andhence the sprocket-chain R imparts a rotary motion to the sprocket-wheelB, so that the shaft R by its socket and pin rotates the roller L towind up the notesheet now unwinding from the roller L out of mesh withthe driving mechanism.

By the arrangement described the performer is enabled to stop thetraveling of the notesheet at any time and to rewind the note-sheet, oronly a part thereof, on the roller L. Thus the performer is enabled torepeat musicpieces or portions of the pieces. hen the note-sheet hasbeen rewound on the roller L and. it is desired to remove thisnote-sheet from the instrument, then the roller L is disengaged from thesocket R and a socket R to allow of inserting a new roll containinganother note-sheet.

A screw S screws in the casing B and abuts against the end of the shaftL, and this is under the control of the operator to allow the latter toscrew the screw S inward or outward, so as to shift the roller L in thedirection of its length to bring the note-sheet in proper relation tothe openings in the trackerboard K. A like adjustment can be made of theroller L by adjusting a screw S, engaging the outer end of the shaft R Aspring R presses the shaft R, as indicated in Fig. 8, so as to hold theshaft always in contact with the end of the screw S. It is alsounderstood that the socket R is of usual construction and spring-pressedto allow convenient insertion or removal of the roller L.

In order to actuate the forte pedal of the piano automatically at thetime the valvechests E are exhausted to the fullest extent by theoperator shifting the lever Ur correspondingly, the following device isprovided: An adjustable button T (see Figs. 1 and 3) is held on the rearend of a lever T, fulcrumed in the casing B, and pivotally connected atits forward end by a link T with a bell-crank T, having a flexibleconnection T, such as a chain or the like, with the regulating-lever iNow the flexible connection T remains slack until the regulating-lever(i is moved into an extreme right-hand position-that is, at the time thevalve G is opened to its fullest extent, and at this time the connectionT imparts a swinging motion to the bell-crank lever i, so that the linkT imparts a swinging motion to the lever T, which by its button Tpresses the forte pedal of the piano, and hence the piano is caused tosound extremely loud at the time the keys are actuated forcibly by thekeystrikers A.

The mechanism for actuating the main bellows H from the pedals Iconsists, essentially, of a link 1, pivotally connecting the mainbellows with a lever 1, hinged at its rear end at I to the casing B, asplainly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The free end of the lever lcarries a friction-roller l, engaged by the corresponding pedal 1, and adouble or V- shaped spring rests with the free end of one arm on a fixedcasing-support B, and the free end of the other arm presses against theXIIOV'A able member of the main bellows to hold the latter normally in aclosed position and the lever I and pedal 1' in an uppermost position.Now when the pedal 1 is pressed by the foot of the operator then adownwardswinging motion is given to the lever 1 which by the link 1imparts a swinging motion to the movable member of the main bellows H,so as to open the latter, and when the pressure is released by theoperator on the pedal I then the spring 1" immediately closes thebellows H and returns the lever 1 and pedal I to their former positions.By having the pedal I riding at its free end on the friction-roller I.the pedal action is rendered comparatively noiseless and the friction isreduced to a minimum, so that it requires comparatively little physicalexertion on the part of the performer to actuate the bellows H.

The operation is as follows: The note-sheet on the roller L is stretchedover the trackerboard K and attached to a hook on the roller L in theusual manner, and then the operator actuates the pedals I and with theright hand manipulates the regulating-leverP and with the left handimparts movement to the regulating-lever G". Now when the lever I? ismoved from the left to the right the slidevalve P is opened, so as toconnect the exhaust-tube O with the branch channel H, and consequentlythe driving device 0 is actuated to turn the main shaft 0 and cause arotation of the roller L to wind up the note-sheet. Now as thenote-sheet passes over the trackerboard the note-sheet openings registerwith the corresponding tracker-board openings, and consequently air isadmitted by the flexible tubes J to the corresponding chambers E toactuate the diaphragm E therein, as previously explained, for deflatingthe corresponding pneumatics l) to actuate the keystrikers and the keysof the piano or organ to sound the same.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the performer canconveniently vary the speed with which the note-sheet travels over thetracker-board, and the force with which the strikers engage the keys ofthe piano is likewise under the control of the operator manipulating theregulating-lever (i correspondingly.

\Vhenever it is desired to reroll the notesheet or a portion thereof, itcan be done by the operator moving the lever G into an extremeright-hand position, so that the motor runs at a higher speed to quicklyreroll the sheet on the roller L. The pins i and 1% form a clutch devicefor throwing the rerolling or reversing gear into and out of action, asdescribed; but 1 do not limit myself to the particular device shown anddescribed. it is understood that when the note-sheet unwinds from theroller L the sprocket-wheel R runs loose on the shaft N It is furtherunderstood that when forte is required by the music then the lever G ismoved to an extreme righthand position to exhaust the pneumatics D tothe fullest extent and at the same time actuate the forte pedal ofthepiano for the purpose mentioned. The bell-crank lever T andpedal-lever T are dormant during the ordinary working of theregulating-lever G which only becomes taut and acts on the bell cranklever whenever the lever G is moved to the extreme position mentioned.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A self-playing attachment for musical instruments,provided with a valve-chest having a suction-chamber, adiaphragm-chamber, a diaphragm between the said suction-chamber and thediaphragm chamber, a pneumaticchamber having connection with a pneumaticand by a valve-seat with the atmosphere and by a port with the saidsuction-chamber,valves for the said seats, a valve-stem extending to theoutside of the valve-chest, and on which the said valves are permanentlyfixed and nuts screwing on the valve-stem and fixed to opposite faces ofthe diaphragm, as set forth.

2. Aself-playing attachment for musical instruments, providedwith aplurality of valves, adapted to be alternately seated on theirvalveseats, a valve-stem on which the said valves are permanentlysecured, a diaphragm, and a connection between the diaphragm and thevalve-stem, to allow adjusting of the latter in the direction of itslength, to adjust the diaphragm relative to the said valves, as setforth.

3. A self-playing attachment for musical instruments, provided with aplurality of valves, adapted to be alternately seated on theirvalveseats, a valve-stem on which the said valves are permanentlysecured, a diaphragm, and a connection between the diaphragm and thevalve-stem, to allow adjusting of the latter in the direction of itslength, to adjust the diaphragm relative to the said valves, the saidconnection consisting of nuts secured to oppoa casing, valve-chestssecured in the rear of the I casing one above the other, eachvalve-chest having a plurality of valve mechanisms, and each valvemechanism consisting of a horizontal valve-stem mounted to slide at oneend in the valve-chest, a diaphragm on which the other end of thevalve-stem is adjustably secured, and two valves permanently secured onthe said stem and spaced apart, as set forth.

5. A self-playing attachment for musical instruments provided withstrikers for engaging the keys of the instrument, means for actuatingthe strikers, and a valve mechanism for control ling the saidstriker-actuating means, the valve mechanism being provided withdiaphragms, valves and valve-stems permanently carrying the valves andadjustably connected with the diaphragms for adjusting the saiddiaphragms relative to the said valves and from the outside of theinstrument, to regulate the said striker-actuating means at the time theattachment is in position on the instrument, as

set forth.

6. A self-playing attachment for musical instruments, provided withkey-strikers, pneumatics connected with the said key-strikers, foractuating the same, a valve-chest for the said pneumatics, having adiaphragm, valves, and a valve-stem permanently carrying the valves andadjustably connected with the diaphragm, the valve-stem extending to theoutside of the valve-chest, to allow adjustment of the valves relativeto the diaphragm at the time the attachment is in position on themusical instrument, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN N MEYER.

Witnesses:

LOUIS RENO, H. F. RENO.

